2013 Mercedes-Benz G-class / G550 / G63 AMG

Meet the new G-class, same as the old G-class. (But with a more modern interior!)

Mercedes-Benz has updated the seriously old-school G-class SUV for 2013, but you’d never know it by looking at the rig’s exterior. That’s because almost nothing changes outside; this is a good thing. The rest of the G-class’s upgrades reside under its hood and behind its bank-vault-solid doors: A new interior, more modern amenities, and a new engine for the AMG model. Last year Mercedes sold only the standard G550 model, but this year the beastly AMG version of the G-class is back after a yearlong vacation. Along with the new engine, the AMG’s badge changes from G55 to G63. It should remain one of the most bad-ass things on four wheels.

Same Old, Slightly New

To save you the effort, here’s a list of the three significant exterior changes. First, the G gets LED running lights; second, there are turn indicators in its side mirrors; and third, the AMG gets a new bumper and grille. Mercedes-Benz’s brochure for the 2012 G550 describes the truck as “crafted by hand, untouched by time.” Untouched by time, indeed: The G’s styling has changed little since it was introduced as a spartan military vehicle some 33 years ago.

Relative to the nearly untouched exterior, the 2013 G-class’s interior was bitch-slapped by time. Mercedes re-sculpted the dashboard and center console to bring its appearance into this century, and added a color multifunction screen to the gauge cluster. The 2012 G-class had a central COMAND infotainment screen buried low on the center stack; that screen moves up to the top of the stack in the new G, and there’s now a COMAND controller just behind the shifter on the center console. The latest mbrace2 telematics system also is on board.

For those concerned that the G has gone soft, worry not: Mercedes kept the row of differential-lock switches right up near the top of the center stack where they can be easily, er, looked at. (For some reason we doubt many G-class owners actually operate the front, rear, and center differential locks—but the buttons sure do look cool.) The meaty passenger grab handle survived the refresh, as did the pinched-leather door-panel coverings. The steering wheel and gauges, however, are new.

Bricks Can Fly, Too

The G550’s naturally aspirated 382-hp, 5.5-liter V-8 and seven-speed automatic carry over for 2013. As for the AMG model, the old G55’s supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 is replaced by a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V-8 for 2013. Power—something that the old version wasn’t exactly craving—jumps by 44 hp to 544, and torque is an equal 44 units, to a healthy 560 lb-ft. Like other AMG Mercedes-Benz models with the new downsized V-8, the G63’s “63” nomenclature bears no connection to its actual engine displacement. Because fuel economy clearly is on the minds of most AMG buyers, the G63 gets a new “Eco” engine stop-start system. Mercedes also fitted a seven-speed automatic transmission in place of the G55’s five-speed slushbox. In our most recent test, the 2011 G55 hustled from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds; as for fuel economy, we managed just 12 mpg. We don’t expect the new G63’s mileage to improve much, if at all, but we’re eager to see how the additional power affects the G’s already alarming performance.

If you don’t find the 544-hp G63 to be bonkers enough, might we suggest moving overseas? For other markets, Mercedes-Benz is introducing a new G65 AMG powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V-12. The big engine puts out 604 hp and whips up a massive 738 lb-ft of torque. Sadly, the G65 isn’t coming here because the expected limited sales volumes are not worth the effort of certifying the SUV for our market. (We’re told the V-12 was shoehorned into the engine bay, which would make it difficult to certify to our federal crash standards.) But here’s a fun fact regarding its price: In Europe, it will cost nearly double what it will take to bring home a G63—about $350,000 at current exchange rates.

Of course, both the 2013 G550 and G63 retain a full complement of off-road gear including those locking differentials as well as a low-range transfer case. The 2013 Gs now come standard with Distronic adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and updated Parktronic backup sensors and rearview camera. Finally, Mercedes revised the stability control to enable trailer stabilizing functionality.

Mercedes-Benz has yet to release pricing, but the company did announce that the updated G550 and new G63 will go on sale in August. We don’t expect the G550’s price to increase much over the 2012’s $108,850 sticker, but the cost of the 2013 G63 AMG may go up relative to that of the $125,325 2011 G55.